Nick Knight Raises Awareness for Imprisoned Women at Photo London

by SHOWstudio on 9 September 2021

Two of Knight's portraits, currently on display at Somerset House, aim to raise awareness about the lives of incarcerated women and the urgent need to reform the justice system.

Two of Knight's portraits, currently on display at Somerset House, aim to raise awareness about the lives of incarcerated women and the urgent need to reform the justice system.

Prisons are in dire need of reform. Over 57% of women in prison are the victims of domestic abuse, while nearly two in five women (38%) leave prison without settled accommodation, and around one in five women (19%) leave homeless. The majority of imprisoned women around the world have experienced great trauma, mental health issues and challenging life conditions –these consequences to women in the criminal justice system are dire, life shortening and deeply troubling, due to ineffective responses, social exclusion and reduced employability. The time for change is now.

A new exhibition taking place within Somerset House's Photo London aims to change the way we look at incarcerated women. Commissioned by The View magazine (a social enterprise organisation established by formerly imprisoned women), the Someone's Daughter exhibit aims to raise awareness and funds for the social enterprise’s work to better the lives of incarcerated women and reform the justice system.

Photo by Nick Knight. Bianca Jagger, Human Rights Campaigner, 2021

Two triumphant black-and-white portraits by Nick Knight feature in the exhibition, of human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and ex-prisoner and activist Nicolette King. 'By placing the images of former prisoners alongside professional women working within the criminal justice space, this exhibition seeks to change how formerly incarcerated women are seen and ultimately the way justice is served,' said curator Jennie Ricketts.

'Prison conditions are awful and go no way towards rehabilitating people or making them feel part of society. There's a human and moral response here, anything I can do to help, I will', Nick Knight.

The images on show at Someone's Daughter will form an historic collection of works documenting women at the heart of justice, the arts, philosophy, academia and activism. Following the exhibition at Photo London, Someone’s Daughter will then travel to other venues including The National Justice Museum, FiLiA and the Palace of Westminster.

Someone’s Daughter runs at Photo London from Wednesday 8 - 12 September.

Photo by Nick Knight. Nicolette King, Ex Prisoner and Activist, 2021

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